


static cling

by rabbitmarch



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, I honestly don't know it's just soft, M/M, Movie Night, not so slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 04:58:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15284175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rabbitmarch/pseuds/rabbitmarch
Summary: Akira laughs softly, and the sound fills Yusuke's chest and stomach with butterflies.





	static cling

**Author's Note:**

> i swear to god at some point this had a plot, or a meaning, or SOMETHING, i got lost in mushy gay feelings and just let my hands go crazy i'm sorry they are so in love and i am just so stupid
> 
> enjoy

It had been 2 o'clock in the morning when Akira's phone chimed and buzzed against his thigh. Morgana groaned next to him, "Ugh, who is it this time?"

Akira silently hoped it was Yusuke. As he brought the too-bright screen up to his face and blinked his eyes open, his wish was granted.

 _Would you care to watch another informative documentary with me tomorrow?_  

 _Absolutely,_ he quickly tapped away before his tiredness sank in enough to knock him out again.

_Wonderful. Well then, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Sleep tight, Akira._

Something about being addressed directly by name over a private message seemed strangely intimate. Akira smiled lazily as he drifted off back to sleep, phone still hanging precariously in his hand.

 

+++

  
Yusuke is early. He arrives at LeBlanc about half an hour before it actually opens, and he doesn't have the heart to IM Akira at such an early hour. He very well may still be sleeping, he thinks, and decides to wait patiently outside the door.

"Yo, eager are we?" The grogginess of Sojiro's voice from behind him gets Yusuke's attention. The older man scratches the back of his head and digs his keys out from his pocket. Yusuke turns around and bows to him apologetically.

"My apologies. I hadn't meant to arrive before you opened."

Sojiro waves his free hand lazily in the air, a signal for "it's fine", or "don't worry about it", Yusuke assumes. The door opens and Sojiro gestures for him to go in. Yusuke's first glance is to his right, admiring Sayuri as she watches over the cafe with her gentle gaze. He smiles, chuckles softly, then takes a seat in his preferred booth.

"Want some coffee?" Sojiro asks as he hangs his coat on the rack, replacing it swiftly with a barista's apron.

"I would love some, if it's not too much trouble." Yusuke answers as he pulls a small sketchbook out from his shoulder bag.

The aroma of coffee beans soon fills the air, a familiar warmth and scent that makes Yusuke feel entirely at ease. LeBlanc's atmosphere allowed Yusuke to slip into a state of mind in which all his problems melted into nothingness. It made him feel as though all his questions were answered, all his desires fulfilled. It was always peaceful and calm. It felt like home.

The eraser of his pencil taps away at his sketchbook, frustrated that it wouldn't just automatically put a drawing on the paper for him. He blinks some leftover sleep out of his eyes and presses his palms into them. His concentration (or lack thereof) is interrupted by the sound of a cup being placed gently in front of him.

"Oh, thank you very much." Yusuke takes the coffee cup in both hands, allowing the warmth to seep through them.

"You look tired, kid. You gettin' enough sleep?" Sojiro asks, a look of genuine concern on his face. He almost sort of looks (and sounds) like Akira for a moment. How strange, the two aren't related, but Yusuke still manages to find strong similarities in them.

"Honestly, I have not gotten a full night's rest in quite awhile. It's rather troublesome." Yusuke admits, flattening his blank sketchbook on the table, pencil placed atop it. "I will be fine, though. Surely this coffee will help to rouse me."

Sojiro lets out a puff of air through his nose. "If you say so. Let me know if you need anything else, alright? Akira worries about you, y'know."

Yusuke hadn't expected to hear that last part. He knew it, sure, he was their leader after all. Leaders were supposed to care about their teammates. Yusuke worried about him, too, taking on such responsibility by himself. He had the rest of the Phantom Thieves, but juggling the Metaverse life and school life and home life must be a terrible struggle. Yusuke felt bad, making him worry. What was Akira worried about _him_  for?

"I see. I'll be sure to apologize for making him stress over my well-being." Yusuke says, blowing cold breath over his coffee then taking a sip.

Sojiro sighs again. "It's just 'cause he cares about you. A lot."

There's a significant emphasis on "a lot". Yusuke doesn't really know what he means by that.

"Anyway, enjoy your coffee. Don't push yourself too much."

The sound of worry and concern from Sojiro sounds like Akira again.

 

+++

 

Yusuke tries to focus on sketching something. Anything. Anything to keep his mind occupied. The atmosphere is still calm, he feels calm, but something unpleasant keeps prodding his brain, and he can't place the feeling. He glances at Sayuri about 16 times in an hour. He glances at the stairway up to Akira's room an insurmountable number of times in the same hour. Inspiration never comes, and he's left with a blank canvas.

 

+++

 

Footsteps emerge from upstairs, and Yusuke's attention is drawn faster than the first time he laid eyes on Ann. It's around eleven by the time Akira finally trudges downstairs, still clad in a black T-shirt (which appears as if it's a size too large) and sweatpants. His regularly messy hair is even messier as he runs a hand through it, yawning and rubbing his side. Akira blinks the sleep out of his eyes and looks Yusuke's way. He probably can't see too terribly well without his glasses.

Instead of calling out to him, Yusuke waits patiently, hands clasped together in his lap.

An obnoxiously loud yawn. "Mm... morning." Akira says lazily, his words a bit slurred.

"Good morning. I've been waiting here for you." Yusuke says flatly, unaware of how desperate he probably sounds.

"Oh. Sorry, I... I was really tired. I didn't realize it was this late." Akira scrubs a hand up the side of his face, clearly feeling a bit guilty.

"You needn't worry. The day is still young, we have plenty of time today. It's good to hear you got a lot of rest. The past week has been a bit hectic." Yusuke folds his sketchbook up and pushes it back into his bag. He stands up and places a hand on Akira's shoulder. He had started wobbling in place. "Perhaps you need a bit more. Come, I'll escort you."

"H-hey, there's no need for that. I know where my room is." Akira blinks a few times and steadies himself, grasping both of Yusuke's shoulders. A warm feeling creeps up Yusuke's spine as he looks down (just a bit, he isn't _much_ taller) at Akira's sleepy face.

"M-Maybe I'm still a little bit disoriented." Akira admits. He looks so tired. He's been working himself to the bone between the Mementos cases, Palaces, and school. If Yusuke remembers correctly, he even has a part-time job, too.

"Don't worry." Yusuke says simply, before crouching down and placing one hand under Akira's knees, and the other at the middle of his back. He stands up, carrying him in a full bridal's position.

"Wh..." Akira grasps for words, stupidly. "H-hey! What... are you...!?" He's so flustered he can't finish the question. It's clear what he's doing, right? Yusuke's carrying him to save him from tripping up the stairs and embarrassing himself. Nothing more.

Sojiro whistles quietly from behind the counter. "He's stronger than he looks."

Akira shoots him an equally embarrassed and annoyed look, then his gaze shifts back to Yusuke. "I didn't even know you were capable of this... and I know all your strengths and weaknesses in battle..." He sounds dumbfounded. Yusuke thinks it's silly to be so surprised.

"You're not very heavy, anyway. Let us go." He says, as if Akira has a choice being held in his vice-grip. Yusuke carries him upstairs, trying his best not to sneak glances at his still-flustered face. If he looks at him in such a vulnerable state, he fears _he_ may become embarrassed as well, fall up the stairs, and drop him. Yusuke manages to get a good look at Akira once they reach the top of the stairs. His face is turned inward toward Yusuke's shoulder, a soft pink blush dusting his ears and cheeks. He's scowling (pouting, even) a bit, probably humiliated from being demasculinized in front of Sojiro and the two other customers loitering in the cafe. Incredibly, undoubtedly adorable, Yusuke thinks.

"We have arrived." Yusuke states, finding it hard to release the other boy from his hold. He does, eventually, letting Akira on his feet. One hand does stay on Akira's back, though, just to keep him steady.

Akira doesn't look at him for a minute, and in that short time, Yusuke undergoes about three different panic attacks. The anxiety that he had done something wrong or stupid is lifted, finally, when Akira turns to him and dips his head, still embarrassed. "Th-Thanks."

"If you're too tired, we can always cancel today's plans and try another day. I wouldn't want to force you if you're exhausted." Yusuke says, paused in the doorway of Akira's room.

"No, I'm okay. I just need to... wake up more. Maybe that movie will help." He smiles crookedly and makes the same gesture to the door that Sojiro did when he let Yusuke into LeBlanc this morning.

Upon arriving in Akira's room, Yusuke immediately notices something different. He'd been here quite a few times already since designating this spot as their new hideout, but things had changed just a little bit.

Scattered across the ceiling were an array of glow-in-the-dark star-shaped stickers, and Yusuke's heart thumps a beat per minute faster when he realizesーoh, he definitely is the one that gifted those to Akira. The next thing that catches his attention is the sculpture in the corner, he recognizes it instantly as the same one he had given Akira back when they visited the Ueno Art Museum.

This room had been decorated to the fullest with the gifts Yusuke had given him. Though they were merely objects handed over in the excitement of their activityーa simple gesture telling Akira that he was glad to have spent his time with himーthe sentiment of Akira actually putting said objects to use made Yusuke feel warm all over. Looking around his room filled his conscious with happy memories, stuffing him so full of affection that he feared his heart may pound straight out of his chest.

"I see you've made good use of the gifts I give you," He says, casually, as if the feeling he's currently getting from the idea isn't bringing him close to a heart attack.

Akira swirls around to look at him, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. He reaches for his glasses on the side table and puts them on, sighing wistfully. Probably thankful he can actually see now. "Ah, yeah. It was pretty drab and boring in here, y'know? The stuff you give me really livens the place up, don't you think?"

That's one way to put it, Yusuke thinks. "Yes, it truly does." He simply smiles and strides over to the bedside, DVD in hand. "Well then, shall we?"

Akira nods as he begins to pull out their usual movie-viewing chairs, then abruptly stops.

Yusuke tilts his head and glances over as his fingertips fiddle with the annoying plastic wrap encasing the movie case. "Something wrong?"

"These chairs aren't super comfortable, are they?"

"Hm? I had no issue with them last time."

Akira looks down, pushing the chairs back into their previous position. "I'm not a big fan of them. Maybe we should just scoot the table closer and sit on the bed together?" He suggests; Yusuke thinks he sees a gleam of hope behind his eyes.

"I suppose that would be a nice idea. I quite like your bed." Yusuke says, leaning back into the single pillow, not noticing the light flush that dusts Akira's cheeks as he says that. He finally manages to tear off the wrapping and tosses it towards the garbage can, missing it entirely. Akira claps anyway.

"Nice job."

"I missed, though." Yusuke gives him a defeated look. Akira promptly picks the plastic up and slam dunks it into the can.

"There."

"Beautifully done."

Akira laughs softly, and the sound fills Yusuke's chest and stomach with butterflies.

"By the way, where's Morgana?" Yusuke asks.

"Oh, uh, I kind of told him I had a..." Air quotes. "Date," Another pair of air quotes. "So he went out wandering."

 _Date._ Despite the air quotations, the word makes Yusuke's midsection do flip-flops.

Akira tugs the wooden table as close as he can to the bed without accidentally unplugging anything or knocking the whole TV itself to the floor. "Is that close enough for you?"

"It looks perfect from here." Yusuke adjusts his position on the bed and hands the DVD over.

Akira examines the back of the video. Yusuke assumes he's reading the summary or rating on the back. He doubts Akira is the type to be cautionary with ratings, however. His hands wring together nervously, desperately clinging to hope that Akira won't be opposed to the content.

"Huh." Is all Akira has to say for a minute, before cracking it open and placing the DVD into the player. He turns back to face Yusuke, who has already gotten rather comfortable in his bed. Blankets drape over his long legs, his feet just barely sticking out from under. Akira decides to plop himself a seat right next to him, so close that Yusuke can feel his hip brush against him.

"D-Do you have to sit so close?" Yusuke asks, more cautionary than anything. It isn't like he doesn't want Akira near him, quite the opposite in fact, he's just worried he may get emotional or sweaty during the film, and doesn't particularly want to submit Akira to his weird bodily fluids.

Akira looks slightly hurt by his question. Yusuke starts regretting even asking in the first place. "I mean, unless you are comfortable there. I... honestly do not mind."

"You sure? I was just... kind of cold." Akira blinks downward then reaches for the billowy cover resting on Yusuke's legs. He slides underneath it alongside him, cozy as ever. Yusuke feels Akira's leg pretty much parallel with his own. The butterflies return, fluttering madly against the confines of his stomach. It takes all of his strength to focus on the screen of the minuscule old-school television in front of him, and not to the boy so closely snuggled at his side.

A loud choreographed dance number with unfitting slow, swaying music catches Yusuke's attention to the opening scene of the movie. He had decided to be more adventurous with his movie purchase this time, choosing something more on the romantic spectrum, believing it would open his eyes more to the world of love between two people. He just prayed that Akira wouldn't catch onto his ulterior motives by making him watch such a thing.

The movie starts off slow and typical for a coming of age romantic biography. He had told Akira this was a "informative documentary" of sorts, and that wasn't entirely a lie. This movie _is_ based off a true story, he'd read online. The actress on screen is slender and tall, almost taller than the man Yusuke assumes is her spouse. The soft music in the background and the detail in the cinematography is catching more of Yusuke's attention than the actual story unfolding.

His attention wavers, however, when Akira nudges his shoulder against him. "This poor girl's been through a lot, huh..." He drawls, clearly invested in the plotline already. Yusuke had lost some of the details whilst admiring the scenery and backdrops, but he has a fair idea of what's going on. A young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, is trapped in an abusive relationship. She then meets a mysterious manーtall, dark, handsome, the worksーand shares her deepest thoughts with him. She tells him about her situation, in which the man offers his condolences, as well as his aid.

"This is really heartwarming. I didn't expect you to pick something this emotional, Yusuke." Akira says, voice still thick with sleep. He feels a tickling against his neck, and realizes that Akira has his head rested against his shoulder.

Funny that he notices the texture of his hair first, rather than the weight of his actual head.

A blush tries to crawl onto Yusuke's face, and he thinks it succeeds, because his cheeks start to feel hot. Being this close with another person while watching something so deeply moving and romantic was... well, embarrassing, to say the least. This is what he planned, though, and now he has to endure it.

"I thought the synopsis was rather interesting. I'm glad you're enjoying it." Yusuke finds himself craning his neck to the side a bit, the side of his head gingerly pressing against the top of Akira's.

The movie drags on, many scenes being uneventful. When the peak of the plot begins, however, Yusuke's eyes can't tear away. The woman shares her true feelings with the mysterious man, thanking him for freeing her from the confines of her terrible past relationship. She tells him over and over that she could not be more grateful, and that she will follow him to the ends of the earth, protect him, and stay by his side forever.

For a minute, Yusuke thought Akira was going to fall asleep. It wasn't exactly the most exciting movie, but Yusuke's heart was beating so intensely. The raw emotion the actress showed on-screen were frighteningly real, and frighteningly relatable.  
  
The film ends with a small musical number and a softly lit scene of the two characters walking hand and hand down the shore of a beach.

"So cliche," Akira blurts out. "Beautiful, though."

"Beautiful indeed..." Yusuke adds, eyes sparkling as he keeps his eyes glued to the television until the credits begin to roll. He's holding back tears, struggling not to let Akira see how much the movie truly got to him.

Akira yawns and rubs the corners of his eyes. "Ahh, that was pretty good. Maybe a little too romantic for me, but it was nice."

"My apologies. Next time I'll pick something a little less, er, cheesy."

"Heh, it's okay. I liked it, I swear." Akira sits up and stretches his arms.

Yusuke's right side feels significantly colder. He sits there silent for a moment, forefinger and thumb gripping his chin.  
  
"Something up?" Akira asks, tilting his head ever-so-slightly. Cute, Yusuke thinks.

"Ah, it's just..." Yusuke trails off. He purchased this movie specifically for its content matter and how much he could resonate with the story. He shared this movie with Akira so he could see the similarities as well. So far, Akira's said nothing about it. Perhaps he's just as shy about it.

Well, if Akira's the shy one, Yusuke has to balance that out, right?

"I just thought this movie was rather intriguing. I quite understand why the woman fell for him. He saved her from such a compromising situation, being neglected and abused... as if breaking her out of prison, he unclasped her chains and set her free. Anyone would fall in love with a man who saved their life like that."

Akira stares at him, face void of any emotion.  
  
"Hm? Is something the matter?" Yusuke tilts his head just as Akira had done minutes ago.

A sheepish, nervous chuckle escapes Akira's mouth. He brings a hand up to the back of his neck and scratches it anxiously. "You really get that symbolism stuff, don't you...?"

Yusuke doesn't quite understand what he means by that.

"I simply mean I can relate to the woman."

He notices the tips of Akira's ears reddening.

"You had freed me from a situation rather similar. Abused, neglected, unloved. You gave me a place to belong, a place where I feel important."

Akira slams his eyes shut. The redness in his ears is travelling to his face as well. Yusuke leans over to level face with Akira's. Gray eyes hesitantly open behind his slightly fogged glasses.

"You saved me, Akira, just as that mysterious man saved her. I promised to stay by your side forever, and I plan to fulfill that promise."

Akira's mouth moves, but no sound comes out. Yusuke is patient, but he really wants to hear some sort of reply. Talking this much about how he truly feels is giving him massive heart palpitations.  
  
"S-So, you're also saying... you've fallen in love with me?" Akira squints one eye closed, grimacing at the idea of possibly being wrong about that assumption.

"Yes." The answer comes out quick and simple. Yusuke doesn't believe there's much more to be said.

Shaking off his embarrassment, Akira bumps his forehead against Yusuke's, an affectionate little gesture to show him he's comfortable with the information he's been presented with. He can't find any words. Yusuke thinks it's okay for now.

"You're really in love with me..." He repeats it as if hearing it again will give him confirmation.

"That is correct." Yusuke smiles and leans away, the warmth of Akira's head still lingering on his hairline.

"That's a lot to take in at once, y'know? Was that your plan all along? To get me to watch this sappy movie and get me all... mushy?"

Being described in that way, it did sound a little manipulative. There's still a crooked smile on Akira's face, though. Maybe it was a good kind of manipulative. Yusuke shifts on the bed, kicking the blanket to the side and putting himself in a position more optimal for physical interaction. Akira follows the same gesture, angling so that they're facing each other entirely now. The credits on the movie have come to a stop, and the video cuts back to the main menu.

"You're a lot more romantic than you put on." Akira says, a slight smug tone to his voice. It's always interesting how quickly his demeanor can change.

"I've wanted to confess for awhile now, butー"

"Wait, h-how long have you loved me?" Akira interrupts, eyes wide and cheeks red.

"Hm, let's see. I'd say from about the fourth day we explored Madarame's palace together. Perhaps third, I may have had a day of internal struggle before accepting my feelings."

Akira looks dumbstruck. "That long, huh... and you waited until now."

"I never knew when the timing would be right." Yusuke admits. He looks down at the ground, feet shuffling over one another. "I sincerely hope this isn't out of the blue. I also sincerely hope that you do not already have a lover, or are interested in someone else... oh, oh God, I never even considered that, Akira, are youー"

"Slow down, Yusuke."

Yusuke stupidly obeys and shuts his mouth instantaneously.

"I'm not with anyone. Nor do I really like anyone else? Other than you, that is."

He lets out a relieved sigh of breath. "Oh, thank goodness. For a second, I panicked, I thought thatー"

The gears in Yusuke's brain begin turning.

"Huh?"

"You caught that, right?"

"H-Huh?"

Akira covers his mouth with his fist and laughs into it. Again, that beautiful sound is like music to Yusuke's ears, even when he's still processing his previous words like an old computer struggling to power on.

"You, you like me... too?" Words fail him only when they truly matter.

"Yeah," Akira looks at him, expression soft. "I don't remember exactly when it happened, like you do. I don't really pay attention to details like that. I just know that you make me happy, when I'm with you... and that I care about you so incredibly much."

Yusuke feels like he's going to melt into the bed and become one with it. Faced ignited with embarrassment, he blinks nervously, mouth agape. He probably looks even more lost than he usually does. Sojiro had mentioned earlier today that Akira _really_  cared about him. He was ecstatic to hear it straight from him, though.

"I worry about you, more than the others. I mean, I love them all, too... but it's a different feeling with you. I want to keep you safe, to make sure that no one ever hurts you like that again... you're a special case, I've never felt the need to care for someone like I do with you. I find myself wanting to feed you, shelter you, take care of you... it sounds silly, I know, but I wantー"

As if he had been brainwashed with Marin Karin, Yusuke instinctively leaned forward and pulled Akira into a tight hug.

"Whoa...! H-Hey, don't squeeze me so hard..."

Yusuke lightens his grip just a teeny bit.

"Forgive me. I just had to feel your body against mine in this moment. It felt right. I... hope you don't mind." Yusuke says. He then feels Akira return the hug just as tightly, face nuzzled into the crook of his neck. His breath is warm on Yusuke's shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm... really glad you told me how you feel. Gave me a chance to let out my feelings, too."

"It's quite nice, isn't it?"

Akira shifts, hair ruffling against Yusuke's jawline. This hug is the most comfortable thing Yusuke has felt in a long while. Akira feels warm and heavy with sleepiness. He smells vaguely like coffee and a mix of spices he probably experimented with while making curry. His senses were overwhelmed with a sense of belonging, and being home.

It's a good few minutes before Yusuke can bring himself to let go. Once he does, he rubs his warm face, as if he could simply wipe the flush on his cheeks away.

"Does this mean we are... boyfriend and boyfriend, now?"

"Or we could just be, y'know, boyfriends."

"A splendid idea." Yusuke can't help but to scoot a bit closer to his newfound lover. Ooh, what an exciting word, he thinks. "Shall I rent another DVD that we can enjoy together tomorrow?" Yusuke offers, carding a hand through Akira's frizzyーyet still super softーhair. Yusuke thinks he hears him make a purring noise.

"Absolutely. B-But honestly, right now, I'd really like to sleep." Akira admits, scratching the side of his face with his index finger.

Yusuke closes his eyes and hums acceptingly. "You deserve a long rest. I was almost hoping you would fall asleep during the film."

"Was that so I could fall asleep on your shoulder, or so you could avoid the plan to confess to me that you thought up yourself?" Akira grins, a hint of wickedness in the curve of his lips. He leans against Yusuke, pushing him gently back against the pillow. Snuggled against his side, Yusuke feels the warmth that was previously lost return to him.

"...Perhaps a little of both." Yusuke feels the rumble of Akira's laugh against his ribcage, a vibration that truly sends his heart tumbling through his chest. "Get some sleep, my evergrowing radiant light."

Akira cranes his neck up. "Your _what_ now?"

"Hm? Is that not an acceptable pet name?"

This time Akira stifles his laughter and relaxes his body against Yusuke's, eyes closing slowly. "It's perfectly fine, and so are you."

The television had been quietly flickering the intro menu to the DVD for quite some time now, unnoticed by the two of them. As Yusuke allowed Akira to drift to sleep snuggled against him, he couldn't help but think of how absolutely lucky he was to find his own mysterious masked hero, and have the honor of his love returned. Akira had saved him, freed him from Madarame's imprisonment. He had been so blind, so hopelessly and pathetically forgiving to someone who had treated him like dirt. Yusuke is grateful that now, he has someone who is worthy of his dogged loyalty, and worthy of being an essential part of his life.

With a whisper of "Rest well, Akira," Yusuke feels his own eyelids getting heavy, and within a short time, succumbs to the contagious sleepiness.


End file.
